Instruments of Torture Exhibition Coming to MDC’s Freedom Tower
First time the exhibition is held on U.S. East Coast
Piece from Instruments of Torture exhibition
Miami, March 17, 2010 - Just as there are works of art that radiate a message of love and peace, there are also objects that attest to the capacity of inhumanity in the world. This darker side of mankind is captured in Instruments of Torture through the Ages, an exhibition of nearly a hundred instruments designed for torturing and executing.
On loan from the Museo Toscana in Italy, the exhibition will open at Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Freedom Tower on Friday, Apr. 2, marking its East Coast premiere and only the second showing in the U.S. There will be an invitation-only reception on Monday, April 5, at 6:30 p.m., which will be attended by elected officials, college leaders and consular corps. Working media is welcome.
Organizers hope the exhibition draws attention to contemporary human rights issues around the world.
“The iconic Freedom Tower, a National Historic Landmark, was chosen as the ideal setting because it is a symbol of freedom for many who have fled oppressive political and social systems abroad, including political prisoners,” said Covadonga Talavera, U.S. representative for Museo Toscana.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the college will host educational lectures, panels and workshops on the issues of freedom, human rights and torture.
“Our mission with this exhibition is to provide information through a historical retrospective about a practice condemned by most civilized countries as an inexcusable crime, but still practiced in many parts of the modern world,” said MDC Art Gallery Director Jorge Gutierrez.
Instruments of Torture throughout the Ages first opened in Florence, Italy, in April 1983. Most of the collection consists of original pieces acquired from antiques shops throughout Europe, some dating to the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. They include The Pendulum, The Garrotte, The Iron Maiden, Spiked Collar, The Guillotine, and Interrogation Chairs, among other items.
These remaining instruments speak volumes of their craftsmen and defenders, in spite of attempts throughout history to silence and destroy their evidence.
“Global peace and prosperity are concepts that have eluded human beings since history began. However, the quest to strengthen human rights and foster fundamental freedoms can be attained if people become aware of those circumstances where even today rights and freedoms are violated,” Gutierrez added.
The exhibition is co-produced with the Toscana Museum, in collaboration with Amnesty International, Centro Cultural Español and the Dante Alighieri Society in Miami.
MDC’s Freedom Tower serves as a significant educational and cultural center. In the recent years since it was donated to the college by Pedro Martin and family, the building has been used for other major art exhibitions, including showcasing the works of masters Dalí, Goya and Da Vinci, and for important presentations, including speeches by Spain’s former Prime Minister Jose María Aznar, prolific writer Tom Wolfe, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Former Polish President Lech Walesa.
Tickets are $15 for the general public, $10 for seniors. Free admission for MDC students, faculty and staff.
MDC Art Gallery System presents Instruments of Torture through the Ages
- WHEN: Friday, Apr. 2, 12:00 PM - Sunday, Aug. 29, 6:00 PM
- WHERE: MDC’s Freedom Tower 600 Biscayne Blvd., Miami
For more information about the exhibition, please visit www.miamitorture.com. You may also contact the MDC Art Gallery System at 305-237-7700, galleries@mdc.edu.
Media-only contacts:
Juan Mendieta, 305-237-7611, jmendiet@mdc.edu, MDC communications director
Sue Arrowsmith, 305-237-3710, sue.arrowsmith@mdc.edu, media specialist
Tarnell Carroll, 305-237-3359, tcarroll@mdc.edu, Media Specialist
Alejandro Rios, 305-237-7482, arios1@mdc.edu